Ultrasonic Control of Maternal Behavior: Developmental Implications

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Abstract
Infant rodents of many species emit high frequency vocalizations when aroused. These signals, when detected by adult females of the same species, elicit increased care-giving. The behavior of the dam towards her offspring influences the development of arousal mechanisms of the offspring and appears to alter turnover of brain dopamine. These effects are quite pervasive since altered maternal care induced by ultrasonic vocalizations from an initial litter is observable in the behavior of the dam towards a subsequent litter; similar alterations in the development of arousal mechanisms and brain dopamine turnover are observable in the subsequent litters; and the effects of this altered caregiving during the first three weeks of development are observable in laboratory rats (Rattus norgevicus) at one and two years of age.